Rancho Mirage was a small town that has grown into a Shangri-La, thanks to the hard work of all the council members that have dedicated their lives to making it better and better.

I have watched, over the years, the wonderful accomplishments this council has made so we may have an incredible lifestyle. We have $63 million in reserves; a balanced budget; the largest number of deputies on the street per capita, more than any other valley cities; one of the finest libraries … and the list goes on.

We do not want the CV Link. Dana Hobart has been harangued unfairly because of this. Yet it was put to the vote of the people in Rancho Mirage and we all say NO, we do not want a CV Link, but the outsiders will not let this go.

Dana Hobart, Iris Smotrich and Charles Townsend have my vote in this coming election, and I hope yours.

Rancho Mirage residents recently received an email announcing that they will automatically be moved from Southern California Edison to the Rancho Mirage Energy Authority as our electric utility. The new authority offers a “discount” of 5 percent and will “provide cleaner energy.”

It is totally unrealistic to imagine that some quasi-government organization run by “clean air” zealots can provide electricity to Rancho Mirage at rates below SCE. The 5 percent reduction seems misleading as it is just an introductory come-on rate until Jan. 1.

Everybody will be moved to the RMEA unless they opt out, and the opt-out form is not yet available on either the Rancho Mirage or the RMEA websites.

Is this Rancho Mirage's version of the bullet train?

Martin Melnick, Rancho Mirage

Lacking historical perspective

USA TODAY'S Editorial Board exhibits a stunning lack of historical knowledge. After supporting the major tax cut for corporations since it would raise wages and create jobs, the editorial board is now backing down. Why are they now backing down? The answer is predictable.

Corporations, historically, when provided tax cuts do three things with the newly found affluence:

1) They do major stock buybacks;

2) They make increased dividends to investors;

3) They build up their already bulging cash reserves.

So, the editorial board seems surprised. The stunning part here is that one would assume a major newspaper editorial board would possess a greater sense of history and a firmer grasp of corporate purpose!

It was a near embarrassment to read this piece in the paper. Perhaps the next editorial will focus on how a trade war will create thousands of jobs and save Americans billions of dollars!